


The Rules

by SophinaBlackwood



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Established Relationship, Kayfabe Compliant, M/M, Reunions, and a Sami Zayn birthday cameo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 18:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7474512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophinaBlackwood/pseuds/SophinaBlackwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Smackdown Taping July 12th, 2016] Neville's four month absence is over and it couldn't have come at a better time for Dolph. - no spoilers</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rules

It was no lie that Dolph Ziggler had been struggling of late.

He supposed that was what happens after you have a seven foot Goliath chasing you around for three months on a mission to crush you under their boot. Therefore, one could imagine Dolph’s displeasure when he discovered that Baron Corbin would be involved in the battle royal on Raw, and, to add salt to the wound, was the same bastard who he was eliminated by. It was like the wrestling gods were punishing him. He didn’t know why?! He had been a good person in this life!

Dolph sniggered. Not even he could think through that sentence with a straight face.

Bottom line: Baron Corbin sucked and Dolph would be happy if he never had to see his ugly receding-hairline face again.

It was a difficult fact to admit to himself that his spirits were a little broken. All on a slow downhill spiral from his loss at Wrestlemania 32. Dolph sat in a secluded hallway backstage before Smackdown, one foot crossed over the other on a wall, idly extending his legs in and out. His heart jumped into his throat as he pushed off a little too hard from the wall and nearly tumbled backwards off the chair. The front legs clanged against the floor as he stabilised and exhaled in relief. A concussion would’ve been the perfect way to cap of a fantastic 2016, he thought sarcastically.

“Hiya, Dolph!”

A palm smacked him hard across the chest and the wind was taken out of him. Dolph stared up in bewilderment at Sami Zayn. He supposed it was a friendly gesture, considering who it was but- _ow_.

“Jesus, Sami, you got a strong right hand, don’t you.” Dolph rubbed over his chest and examined the beam which widened that orange beard from ear to ear. “Why’re you so happy?” he grumbled.

“Well, it is my birthday,” Sami blushed, rocking on his heels.

“Happy birthday,” Dolph snorted, swinging his phone around between his thumb and index finger. Did Sami really come all the way over just to fish for well wishes?

“I thought you’d be the one who’s so happy, though?”

Dolph tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

Sami looked puzzled, then threw a hand over his mouth with a gentle slap, staring at Dolph with wide eyes.

“Um-- Nothing!!” he stammered, and then immediately swung around to briskly walk away. The walk eventually turned into a skip (yes, _skip_ ) before he disappeared entirely. Dolph’s brow pinched, wondering what had happened that was making Sami behave like a giddy schoolgirl.

Whatever. Dolph shrugged, flipping his phone upright and swiping across the menus. Just as he was about to tap the tinder icon, his vision went completely dark. Flailing arms in shock, he let out a short, embarrassing sound. Light flashed before he was dragged out of the chair in a headlock and another confused “Guh?” pulled from his throat.

_Wait._

The contour of that bicep jabbing into his jaw was familiar. The angle he was bent at as he struggled, so reminiscent. An airy chuckle blew onto his scalp, making his skin tingle, and that _smell_ which transported him away to a happier time. Dolph blinked hard, mind sluggish as all the realisations wound into place.

“Boo,” Neville grinned as Dolph scrambled backwards out of the headlock, mouth slack and eyes disbelieving. A broad, lovely hand which he had missed slipped down his arm and their fingers interlocked perfectly.

Dolph blinked several times, heart pounding, overcome with a sudden wave of emotions he hadn’t expected to contend with today. “You back?” he asked hopefully, not even thinking to come up with some snide or witty remark.

“Yup,” Neville nodded, creases forming around his cheeks as he held back a landslide of happiness.

“For good?”

“Yup. Wrestlin' a dark match tonight n' everything!”

“Oh, _babe_!”

They crashed into a hug and it felt as awe-inspiring and as thunderous as a lock-up at the beginning of what would be a five star match. Neville’s arms wound around him to draw them as close as physically possible, so not even the atoms in the air would be able to slide between them. Dolph couldn’t stop his hands from exploring-- Neville’s hair, Neville’s arms, Neville’s back, Neville’s ass-- he was really, actually there and he wasn’t going away.

“You kept the beard,” Dolph chuckled weakly, embarrassed that he was tearing up. It may have seemed melodramatic but Neville couldn’t have understood the mental battles he had been trudging through in his absence. Dolph thought he was losing his way, trying to navigate the ever-confusing maze of his career. When he thought he had found a pathway to success, his heart would sink as he discovered he had only led himself even deeper into negativity. Corbin had succeeded, in a way. He’d even stopped caring if he lost matches and that was completely un-Dolph Ziggler.

He misplaced his reason to fight.

“Aye, I did,” Neville smiled, wiping away a tear that clung to Dolph’s cheek. “Look at ch’ye. I told ya you’re a sap.” He was acting tough but Dolph knew the heaviness of Neville's accent meant he was choked up as well.

“Shut up,” Dolph tried to shove him away, blushing, but Neville’s strength wouldn’t allow it. Then, they were kissing and it was like those four horrible months had never even come to pass. Like Dolph’s brief slip of character had never existed.

“Showtime in 30 minutes, folks.” The blare over the PA system made them part to glance upwards but they didn’t let go of their tight hold on each other. Dolph’s favourite devilish grin lit up on Neville’s face.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Dolph asked.

Neville kissed him roughly, warm tongue dipping into his mouth and swirling. It left Dolph a little woozy as Neville traced a line of pecks to his ear, licking and nipping at the lobe. A husk whisper sent chills down into Dolph’s boots. “ _First one to finish, wins_.”

 

* * *

 

They exited the empty production office, chests flushed, wicked smiles on their faces. It felt as if the Earth’s spin had slowed to a manageable pace and things were finally starting to make sense again.

“Shit, I’ve gotta go get prepared,” the returning wrestler said, body catching as Dolph pulled him back and Neville stared up at him in wonder.

Dolph needed a second to compose himself, and combed back some of Neville’s wild hair which had unrooted from his bun. “Promise me you’ll win tonight.”

Neville’s pinky finger entwined with his, “I promise.” His head lowered mischievously, gaze piercing Dolph to the bone. “And if you win tonight, then it means you love me.”

Dolph stared into the distance lamely as Neville raised on his toes to press a short kiss to his lips. “How is that supposed to work?” he blurt out.

“I dunno,” Neville shrugged, skipping into a backwards walk, “I don’t make the rules.”

“What rules?!”

“ _The_ rules!”

Dolph rubbed a hand over his chest, feeling his heart bloom new life from the depths of his reanimated emotions. Tonight, he would proudly watch Neville blow him and the crowd away without fail, as he did every time he stepped between those ropes. Then after, Dolph would would wrestle. Just as he did four days a week, doing what no one else in the locker room could do: working harder than everyone else to be the best ever and look damn good doing it. Well, everyone except one, that was.

And, if he happened to win tonight then… maybe he did indeed love Neville.

Those were the rules.

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back Neville! We missed you!!


End file.
